| From | Save Our Schools Arizona <[email protected]> |
| Subject | Horne Wants Dept. of Ed Abolished — Threatening $1B for AZ Kids |
| Date | February 9, 2025 5:31 PM |
Links have been removed from this email. Learn more in the FAQ.
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[link removed] [[link removed]]
Horne Wants Dept. of Ed Abolished — Threatening $1B for AZ Kids
Full Weekly Education Report HERE [bit.ly/February2EdReport] - now hosted on Substack!
Sign up for any paid subscription in February and win SOSAZ merch of your choice!
As President Trump and billionaire special interests work to dismantle the Department of Education, Arizona’s State Superintendent Tom Horne agrees [[link removed]] — falsely claiming this week that the Dept. of Ed doesn’t do anything for Arizona: “They monitor us… I don’t think we would miss it if they were gone.” [[link removed]]
Horne ignores the federal protections the Dept. of Ed gives to Arizona students and families [[link removed]] , as the department oversees civil rights for students with disabilities, students learning English, BIPOC students, and so many more.
Further, the Dept. of Ed protects large portions of federal funding, ensuring these dollars are appropriately dedicated to students who need additional services — particularly students with disabilities, low-income students, rural students, and homeless students.
What does the US Dept. of Education do, anyways?
Horne has falsely claimed [[link removed]] that by eliminating the department, the Arizona Dept. of Ed would “have more funding for teacher pay raises.” Yet Horne ignores the fact that federal funding streams are strategically dedicated to specific groups of students and programs through acts of Congress — not teacher salaries.
The now infamous Project 2025 [[link removed]] urged a future President Trump to return federal funding streams to states in “block grants” (which operate like vouchers), though any plans for disbursement at the state level remain unclear. Experts predict these funds will be subject to being “voucherized,” or being diverted to private schools and homeschool. As SOSAZ Director Beth Lewis states [[link removed]] , “If federal dollars were sent to the states, and that funding were reallocated to private school vouchers for example, our public schools would shut down.” This, of course, is the entire point as the special interests behind Project 2025 aim to privatize public education.
[link removed] [[link removed]]
Trump’s promise to close the department [[link removed]] clashes with the fact that all federal funding is approved by Congress, and abolishing the Dept. of Ed requires an act of Congress.
Read more [[link removed]] to find out about the obstacles facing Trump in his efforts to dissolve this critical agency: “Even some of his allies question how far he can go without Congress. Some of the department’s most significant programs are required by federal legislation, including Title I money for low-income schools… That was a source of frustration during Trump’s first term in office, when his education chief repeatedly sought budget cuts but instead saw Congress increase the agency’s spending each year. What’s more, Trump’s quest to shut down the department could be complicated by his own agenda. Already, he has created new work for the department, including plans to promote 'patriotic' education and efforts to go after schools that teach controversial lessons on race and gender.”
The confirmation hearing for Trump’s nomination for US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon [[link removed]] — yes, that Linda McMahon, of WWE wrestling fame — is set for this Thursday, Feb. 13 at 10am ET/ 8am Arizona time . McMahon has little educational experience. When Trump announced his pick, he called her [[link removed]] a “fierce advocate for Parents’ Rights” who will “fight tirelessly to expand ‘Choice’ to every state in America.” She once claimed [[link removed]] to have her bachelor’s degree in education and had to resign from the Connecticut Board of Education after this was discovered to be false. McMahon chairs the America First Policy Institute [[link removed]] , a think tank founded in 2021 to promote Trump's public policy agenda that pushes anti-LGBTQ policy as well as vouchers. [[link removed]]
Use this tool from our friends at the Network for Public Education to urge Arizona Senators Kelly & Gallego to vote NO on McMahon [[link removed]] .
Full Weekly Education Report HERE [bit.ly/February2EdReport] - now hosted on Substack!
Sign up for any paid subscription in February and win SOSAZ merch of your choice!
[[link removed]]
Email Gov. Hobbs & your lawmakers to urge them to do their constitutional duty and invest in Arizona’s public schools! Our easy-to-use, one-click email tool [[link removed]] is preloaded with SOSAZ’s legislative priorities, but we also encourage you to customize your email for maximum impact.
Click HERE or the image below to send an email now! [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]]
Bills in Committee
[[link removed]] ✅ Introducing the snazzy new SOSAZ 2025 Bill Tracker [[link removed]] ! Learn more about all bills SOSAZ supports or opposes in 2025 and get up-to-the-minute information on where these bills stand.
[[link removed]] 🛑 Use Request to Speak on the following bills:
👎 NO on SB1318 • 👎 NO on SB1321
👎 NO on SB1441 • 👎 NO on SB1625
👎 NO on SCR1014 • 👎 NO on HB2167
👎 NO on HB2169 • 👍 YES on HB2213
👎 NO on HB2724 • 👎 NO on HCR2042
SB1318 [[link removed]] , sponsored by JD Mesnard (R-13), and its companion bill SCR1014 [[link removed]] would ask voters to mandate that, if Arizona has a budget surplus in any given year, the state must automatically cut income tax rates by 50% [[link removed]] for the following year. Arizona’s budget is one of the smallest per capita in the US, and schools are funded at 49th in the country [[link removed]] . Meanwhile, Arizona still gives away more money every year ($29.9 billion) [[link removed]] in tax cuts, credits and carve-outs than it spends in its budget. Any budget surplus isn’t evidence that we’re collecting too much revenue; it’s evidence of lawmakers’ persistent unwillingness to invest in our public schools and services. Part of an overall package of tax cuts [[link removed]] which would impact the state General Fund by billions of dollars; the fiscal note [[link removed]] from 2023 projects a loss of $253.5 million in FY2027 alone. The House refused to pass this idea in 2023 [[link removed]] . Scheduled for Senate Finance Committee, Monday. OPPOSE.
SB1321 , sponsored by Wendy Rogers (R-7), would force district and charter schools to allow "eligible patriotic youth membership organizations" [[link removed]] to recruit in schools during school hours. Schools would be forced to schedule activities for these groups and notify parents of speaking engagements. "Discrimination" against eligible organizations would be prohibited. Scheduled for Senate Education Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
SB1441 , sponsored by Carine Werner (R-4), would make school board elections partisan, a move being pushed by national extremist organizations [[link removed]] . Local school boards are our most democratic institutions, and should stay above party politics. Making school boards partisan turns districts and schools into just another venue [[link removed]] for extremist conflict. This idea failed in committee [[link removed]] in 2022 and was vetoed last year [[link removed]] . OPPOSE.
SB1625 , sponsored by Carine Werner (R-4), would expand the Arizona School Spending Portal [[link removed]] to force district and charter schools to report each general ledger entry, including revenues, expenditures and disbursements. This is bureaucratic red tape that would snarl schools in time-consuming overreporting, not to mention a massive government overreach. Meanwhile, Arizona's ESA voucher program has no such transparency [[link removed]] . Scheduled for Senate Education Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
HB2167 , sponsored by Matt Gress (R-4), would ban school districts from holding an override election for one year if they fail to correct a financial reporting deficiency within 90 days of receiving notice from the auditor general. The bill also penalizes districts by removing 1% per month of the district's budget after 18 months until the Auditor General reports compliance. This unnecessarily punitive bill is inspired by troubles [[link removed]] which have been uncovered and solved thanks to the robust accountability requirements [[link removed]] in place for public schools. Meanwhile, ESA vouchers are costing our state $1 billion every year [[link removed]] with zero accountability [[link removed]] . Scheduled for House Education Committee, Tuesday. OPPOSE.
HB2169 , sponsored by Matt Gress (R-4), forces district school boards to approve any out-of-state travel at least one month prior. This potentially will cause major issues for schools, such as when a student team wins a competition and schools have just 2 or 3 weeks notice to arrange a trip with chaperones. The bill also requires district school boards to meet in district buildings and requires 5 years of online access to materials and recordings; it is ludicrous to tighten these already stringent requirements when publicly funded charter and private school boards are subject to no such requirements. Scheduled for House Education Committee, Tuesday. OPPOSE.
HB2213 , sponsored by Nancy Gutierrez (D-18), would fund free school lunches for children whose families meet the federal income requirements for free or reduced-price lunches. This change would help kids [[link removed]] who don't qualify for free meals but still struggle to afford the costs. Kids who eat school meals show improved attendance, behavior and academic achievement (kids can't learn when they're hungry!), and they get more whole grains, milk, fruits and vegetables at mealtimes. Scheduled for House Appropriations Committee, Wednesday. SUPPORT.
HB2724 , sponsored by Tony Rivero (R-27), would allow public school principals to decide whether to allow "patriotic youth groups" [[link removed]] to address students for up to ten minutes during the first quarter of each academic year. Principals would then have to ensure that any materials from these groups are distributed directly to students throughout the school year. Scheduled for House Education Committee, Tuesday. OPPOSE.
HCR2042 , sponsored by Steve Montenegro (R-29), would ask voters to enshrine racism in the state Constitution. This culture-war-driven measure would prevent the state from giving BIPOC-owned businesses any preference in state contracts, keep school districts from specifically hiring black or brown teachers in an effort to increase representation, block teachers from discussing inclusion and equity issues that have arisen despite the 14th Amendment, and ban certain content from being taught in schools. This would negatively impact student learning, as well as teacher retention and recruitment. The legislature would be allowed to also "prescribe related practices or concepts" to ban. Scheduled for House Government Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
Need an RTS account? Sign up here. [[link removed]] Want a refresher? Our friends at Civic Engagement Beyond Voting are hosting RTS trainings on Monday evenings at 6:30, starting this week. Sign up here! [[link removed]]
Join Us!
sosaznetwork.org/caps [sosaznetwork.org/caps]
PURCHASE TICKETS [sosaznetwork.org/caps]
It’s happening!! 🎉 Join us for our 2nd annual Celebration of Arizona’s Public Schools [sosaznetwork.org/caps] gala on March 29, 2025 at the Madison Performing Arts Center! Our special guest will be Jess Piper [[link removed]] , an incredible public education advocate from Missouri and TikTok superstar. We will have delicious food and drinks, student performances, awards for incredible educators, and so much more! Tickets are on sale now for $100. Get yours before they sell out [sosaznetwork.org/caps] — and if you’re an educator or student, we welcome you to use the code EDUC8 to receive 50% off (select “unlock” to enter the code).
NEW: Nominate a Champion of Public Education! 🏆 Know an incredible AZ educator, staff member, or school leader? Nominate [[link removed]] them for our Champions of Public Education award today!!
SUBMIT A NOMINATION [[link removed]]
SOSAZ Network Book Club is back! We surveyed the SOSAZ Network Book Club [[link removed]] members who chose Punishing for Dreaming: How School Reform Harms Black Children and How We Heal by Bettina L. Love. Our virtual discussions on February 23 and March 23 will be led by ASU Professors Dr. Carrie Sampson and Dr. Sharon Kirsch as well as doctoral student Christina Bustos. Sign up here [[link removed]] to become a new member and/or get more details and resources for these upcoming events. [link removed] [[link removed]]
Order the book through Changing Hands [[link removed]] or your favorite bookseller! SIGN UP FOR BOOK CLUB [[link removed]]
SUPPORT OUR WORK [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]]
Contact Us
[email protected]
Save Our Schools Arizona
PO Box 28370
Tempe, AZ 85285
United States
Paid for by Save Our Schools Arizona. Not authorized by any candidate.
unsubscribe: [link removed]
Horne Wants Dept. of Ed Abolished — Threatening $1B for AZ Kids
Full Weekly Education Report HERE [bit.ly/February2EdReport] - now hosted on Substack!
Sign up for any paid subscription in February and win SOSAZ merch of your choice!
As President Trump and billionaire special interests work to dismantle the Department of Education, Arizona’s State Superintendent Tom Horne agrees [[link removed]] — falsely claiming this week that the Dept. of Ed doesn’t do anything for Arizona: “They monitor us… I don’t think we would miss it if they were gone.” [[link removed]]
Horne ignores the federal protections the Dept. of Ed gives to Arizona students and families [[link removed]] , as the department oversees civil rights for students with disabilities, students learning English, BIPOC students, and so many more.
Further, the Dept. of Ed protects large portions of federal funding, ensuring these dollars are appropriately dedicated to students who need additional services — particularly students with disabilities, low-income students, rural students, and homeless students.
What does the US Dept. of Education do, anyways?
Horne has falsely claimed [[link removed]] that by eliminating the department, the Arizona Dept. of Ed would “have more funding for teacher pay raises.” Yet Horne ignores the fact that federal funding streams are strategically dedicated to specific groups of students and programs through acts of Congress — not teacher salaries.
The now infamous Project 2025 [[link removed]] urged a future President Trump to return federal funding streams to states in “block grants” (which operate like vouchers), though any plans for disbursement at the state level remain unclear. Experts predict these funds will be subject to being “voucherized,” or being diverted to private schools and homeschool. As SOSAZ Director Beth Lewis states [[link removed]] , “If federal dollars were sent to the states, and that funding were reallocated to private school vouchers for example, our public schools would shut down.” This, of course, is the entire point as the special interests behind Project 2025 aim to privatize public education.
[link removed] [[link removed]]
Trump’s promise to close the department [[link removed]] clashes with the fact that all federal funding is approved by Congress, and abolishing the Dept. of Ed requires an act of Congress.
Read more [[link removed]] to find out about the obstacles facing Trump in his efforts to dissolve this critical agency: “Even some of his allies question how far he can go without Congress. Some of the department’s most significant programs are required by federal legislation, including Title I money for low-income schools… That was a source of frustration during Trump’s first term in office, when his education chief repeatedly sought budget cuts but instead saw Congress increase the agency’s spending each year. What’s more, Trump’s quest to shut down the department could be complicated by his own agenda. Already, he has created new work for the department, including plans to promote 'patriotic' education and efforts to go after schools that teach controversial lessons on race and gender.”
The confirmation hearing for Trump’s nomination for US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon [[link removed]] — yes, that Linda McMahon, of WWE wrestling fame — is set for this Thursday, Feb. 13 at 10am ET/ 8am Arizona time . McMahon has little educational experience. When Trump announced his pick, he called her [[link removed]] a “fierce advocate for Parents’ Rights” who will “fight tirelessly to expand ‘Choice’ to every state in America.” She once claimed [[link removed]] to have her bachelor’s degree in education and had to resign from the Connecticut Board of Education after this was discovered to be false. McMahon chairs the America First Policy Institute [[link removed]] , a think tank founded in 2021 to promote Trump's public policy agenda that pushes anti-LGBTQ policy as well as vouchers. [[link removed]]
Use this tool from our friends at the Network for Public Education to urge Arizona Senators Kelly & Gallego to vote NO on McMahon [[link removed]] .
Full Weekly Education Report HERE [bit.ly/February2EdReport] - now hosted on Substack!
Sign up for any paid subscription in February and win SOSAZ merch of your choice!
[[link removed]]
Email Gov. Hobbs & your lawmakers to urge them to do their constitutional duty and invest in Arizona’s public schools! Our easy-to-use, one-click email tool [[link removed]] is preloaded with SOSAZ’s legislative priorities, but we also encourage you to customize your email for maximum impact.
Click HERE or the image below to send an email now! [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]]
Bills in Committee
[[link removed]] ✅ Introducing the snazzy new SOSAZ 2025 Bill Tracker [[link removed]] ! Learn more about all bills SOSAZ supports or opposes in 2025 and get up-to-the-minute information on where these bills stand.
[[link removed]] 🛑 Use Request to Speak on the following bills:
👎 NO on SB1318 • 👎 NO on SB1321
👎 NO on SB1441 • 👎 NO on SB1625
👎 NO on SCR1014 • 👎 NO on HB2167
👎 NO on HB2169 • 👍 YES on HB2213
👎 NO on HB2724 • 👎 NO on HCR2042
SB1318 [[link removed]] , sponsored by JD Mesnard (R-13), and its companion bill SCR1014 [[link removed]] would ask voters to mandate that, if Arizona has a budget surplus in any given year, the state must automatically cut income tax rates by 50% [[link removed]] for the following year. Arizona’s budget is one of the smallest per capita in the US, and schools are funded at 49th in the country [[link removed]] . Meanwhile, Arizona still gives away more money every year ($29.9 billion) [[link removed]] in tax cuts, credits and carve-outs than it spends in its budget. Any budget surplus isn’t evidence that we’re collecting too much revenue; it’s evidence of lawmakers’ persistent unwillingness to invest in our public schools and services. Part of an overall package of tax cuts [[link removed]] which would impact the state General Fund by billions of dollars; the fiscal note [[link removed]] from 2023 projects a loss of $253.5 million in FY2027 alone. The House refused to pass this idea in 2023 [[link removed]] . Scheduled for Senate Finance Committee, Monday. OPPOSE.
SB1321 , sponsored by Wendy Rogers (R-7), would force district and charter schools to allow "eligible patriotic youth membership organizations" [[link removed]] to recruit in schools during school hours. Schools would be forced to schedule activities for these groups and notify parents of speaking engagements. "Discrimination" against eligible organizations would be prohibited. Scheduled for Senate Education Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
SB1441 , sponsored by Carine Werner (R-4), would make school board elections partisan, a move being pushed by national extremist organizations [[link removed]] . Local school boards are our most democratic institutions, and should stay above party politics. Making school boards partisan turns districts and schools into just another venue [[link removed]] for extremist conflict. This idea failed in committee [[link removed]] in 2022 and was vetoed last year [[link removed]] . OPPOSE.
SB1625 , sponsored by Carine Werner (R-4), would expand the Arizona School Spending Portal [[link removed]] to force district and charter schools to report each general ledger entry, including revenues, expenditures and disbursements. This is bureaucratic red tape that would snarl schools in time-consuming overreporting, not to mention a massive government overreach. Meanwhile, Arizona's ESA voucher program has no such transparency [[link removed]] . Scheduled for Senate Education Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
HB2167 , sponsored by Matt Gress (R-4), would ban school districts from holding an override election for one year if they fail to correct a financial reporting deficiency within 90 days of receiving notice from the auditor general. The bill also penalizes districts by removing 1% per month of the district's budget after 18 months until the Auditor General reports compliance. This unnecessarily punitive bill is inspired by troubles [[link removed]] which have been uncovered and solved thanks to the robust accountability requirements [[link removed]] in place for public schools. Meanwhile, ESA vouchers are costing our state $1 billion every year [[link removed]] with zero accountability [[link removed]] . Scheduled for House Education Committee, Tuesday. OPPOSE.
HB2169 , sponsored by Matt Gress (R-4), forces district school boards to approve any out-of-state travel at least one month prior. This potentially will cause major issues for schools, such as when a student team wins a competition and schools have just 2 or 3 weeks notice to arrange a trip with chaperones. The bill also requires district school boards to meet in district buildings and requires 5 years of online access to materials and recordings; it is ludicrous to tighten these already stringent requirements when publicly funded charter and private school boards are subject to no such requirements. Scheduled for House Education Committee, Tuesday. OPPOSE.
HB2213 , sponsored by Nancy Gutierrez (D-18), would fund free school lunches for children whose families meet the federal income requirements for free or reduced-price lunches. This change would help kids [[link removed]] who don't qualify for free meals but still struggle to afford the costs. Kids who eat school meals show improved attendance, behavior and academic achievement (kids can't learn when they're hungry!), and they get more whole grains, milk, fruits and vegetables at mealtimes. Scheduled for House Appropriations Committee, Wednesday. SUPPORT.
HB2724 , sponsored by Tony Rivero (R-27), would allow public school principals to decide whether to allow "patriotic youth groups" [[link removed]] to address students for up to ten minutes during the first quarter of each academic year. Principals would then have to ensure that any materials from these groups are distributed directly to students throughout the school year. Scheduled for House Education Committee, Tuesday. OPPOSE.
HCR2042 , sponsored by Steve Montenegro (R-29), would ask voters to enshrine racism in the state Constitution. This culture-war-driven measure would prevent the state from giving BIPOC-owned businesses any preference in state contracts, keep school districts from specifically hiring black or brown teachers in an effort to increase representation, block teachers from discussing inclusion and equity issues that have arisen despite the 14th Amendment, and ban certain content from being taught in schools. This would negatively impact student learning, as well as teacher retention and recruitment. The legislature would be allowed to also "prescribe related practices or concepts" to ban. Scheduled for House Government Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
Need an RTS account? Sign up here. [[link removed]] Want a refresher? Our friends at Civic Engagement Beyond Voting are hosting RTS trainings on Monday evenings at 6:30, starting this week. Sign up here! [[link removed]]
Join Us!
sosaznetwork.org/caps [sosaznetwork.org/caps]
PURCHASE TICKETS [sosaznetwork.org/caps]
It’s happening!! 🎉 Join us for our 2nd annual Celebration of Arizona’s Public Schools [sosaznetwork.org/caps] gala on March 29, 2025 at the Madison Performing Arts Center! Our special guest will be Jess Piper [[link removed]] , an incredible public education advocate from Missouri and TikTok superstar. We will have delicious food and drinks, student performances, awards for incredible educators, and so much more! Tickets are on sale now for $100. Get yours before they sell out [sosaznetwork.org/caps] — and if you’re an educator or student, we welcome you to use the code EDUC8 to receive 50% off (select “unlock” to enter the code).
NEW: Nominate a Champion of Public Education! 🏆 Know an incredible AZ educator, staff member, or school leader? Nominate [[link removed]] them for our Champions of Public Education award today!!
SUBMIT A NOMINATION [[link removed]]
SOSAZ Network Book Club is back! We surveyed the SOSAZ Network Book Club [[link removed]] members who chose Punishing for Dreaming: How School Reform Harms Black Children and How We Heal by Bettina L. Love. Our virtual discussions on February 23 and March 23 will be led by ASU Professors Dr. Carrie Sampson and Dr. Sharon Kirsch as well as doctoral student Christina Bustos. Sign up here [[link removed]] to become a new member and/or get more details and resources for these upcoming events. [link removed] [[link removed]]
Order the book through Changing Hands [[link removed]] or your favorite bookseller! SIGN UP FOR BOOK CLUB [[link removed]]
SUPPORT OUR WORK [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]]
Contact Us
[email protected]
Save Our Schools Arizona
PO Box 28370
Tempe, AZ 85285
United States
Paid for by Save Our Schools Arizona. Not authorized by any candidate.
unsubscribe: [link removed]
Message Analysis
- Sender: Save Our Schools Arizona
- Political Party: n/a
- Country: United States
- State/Locality: Arizona
- Office: n/a
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Email Providers:
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